diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_daq_buildtools.yml b/.github/workflows/test_daq_buildtools.yml
index 2ae402b..6652e12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_daq_buildtools.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_daq_buildtools.yml
@@ -19,13 +19,18 @@ jobs:
   test_daq_buildtools:
     name: Test daq-buildtools
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    container:
-      image: ghcr.io/dune-daq/nightly-release-alma9:development_v5
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
 
     steps:
+    - uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
+      with:
+        cvmfs_repositories: 'dunedaq-development.opensciencegrid.org'
+
+    - name: Pull latest nightly build image
+      run: docker pull ghcr.io/dune-daq/nightly-release-alma9:development_v5
+
     - id: checkout_daq_buildtools
       uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
@@ -34,9 +39,16 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Run test_daq-buildtools script
       run: |
+        BRANCH="${{ inputs.dbt-branch || github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}"
         cd daq-buildtools-test
         source env.sh
         cd scripts
-        ./test_daq-buildtools.sh --dbt-branch ${{ github.head_ref }}
+        docker run --rm \
+          -v /cvmfs:/cvmfs:shared \
+          -v "$PWD":/workspace \
+          -w /workspace \
+          ghcr.io/dune-daq/nightly-release-alma9:development_v5 \
+          ./test_daq-buildtools.sh --dbt-branch $BRANCH
+
         
 
diff --git a/scripts/test_daq-buildtools.sh b/scripts/test_daq-buildtools.sh
index a75b1d1..d844d6a 100755
--- a/scripts/test_daq-buildtools.sh
+++ b/scripts/test_daq-buildtools.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ repo="ipm"
 pyrepo="daqpytools"
 dbt_branch="develop"
 
+validate_arg() {
+    if [[ -z "$2" || "$2" == -* ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: $1 requires an argument."
+        exit 2
+    fi
+}
+
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     case "$1" in
     -h|--help|-?)
@@ -40,14 +47,17 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
         exit 1
         ;;
     --release)
+        validate_arg $1 $2
         release="$2"
         shift 2
         ;;
     --repo)
+        validate_arg $1 $2
         repo="$2"
         shift 2
         ;;
     --dbt-branch)
+        validate_arg $1 $2
         dbt_branch="$2"
         shift 2
         ;;
@@ -102,6 +112,7 @@ git clone https://github.com/DUNE-DAQ/$pyrepo || exit 16
 cd ..
 . env.sh || exit 17
 rm -f .venv/lib64/python*/site-packages/$pyrepo/__init__.py || exit 18
+
 echo "******************************TEST dbt-build (Python) *************************************"
 dbt-build || exit 19
 find .venv/lib64/python*/site-packages/$pyrepo/__init__.py | read || exit 20